For many years at this church we have focused on recycling, reducing our use of non-recyclable materials and reduced waste. All of these measures support our stewardship of the earth which is a principle of United Methodists.

The basis of our Green Ministry is the United Methodist Social Principles statements concerning the natural world, the church's stance on Energy Resources Utilization:

"Affirming the inherent value of nonhuman creation, we support and encourage social policies that are directed toward rational and restrained transformation of parts of the nonhuman world into energy for human usage and that deemphasize or eliminate energy-producing technologies that endanger the health, the safety, and even the existence of the present and future human and nonhuman creation. Further, we urge wholehearted support of the conservation of energy and responsible development of all energy resources, with special concern for the development of renewable energy sources, that the goodness of the earth may be affirmed."

The congregation at Christ United Methodist Church (CUMC) determined in 2009 that a priority should be placed on adding a renewable energy dimension to our building renovation which was completed in 2006.

A renewable energy steering committee of members formed and applied for a grant from Rocky Mountain Power to place a solar photovoltaic system on church property to supplement the energy requirements necessary to operate a building that is in use daily. Any extra power generated would flow back to the energy company, and the church would receive a credit for energy supplied through a net-use metering system. Members of the congregation contributed more than $52,000 to match a $60,000 grant from Rocky Mountain Power's Blue Sky program to fund the project, dedicated on September 7, 2010.

Today, the 23kW photovoltaic system is in continuous operation utilizing 99 American-made Solar World 230 watt panels, set at a 30 degree tilt and divided into 9 strings of 11 panels each on top of the church gymnasium.

The amount of production and other data is recorded by a Fat Spaniel Technologies third party monitoring service, required by Rocky Mountain Power and Blue Sky.

Thank you for visiting our church and our web site. We hope you will use the link above where you may view an audit of the real-time solar panel electrical generation and the Environmental Benefits in measured Emissions-Offset activity (carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur). We estimate between 30,000 kWh and 35,000 kWh will be generated annually. One can also visit Fat Spaniel Technologies in their "live sites" section to view our production on their web site:http://www.fatspaniel.com/fat-spaniel-in-action/live-sites/ Type "christ" into the FIND box.

Included on the CUMC recognition wall, below the solar photovoltaic system monitor, are two commemorative and memorial panels. One panel shows our appreciation for the Blue Sky Grant of Rocky Mountain Power and the second panel lists the 106 individuals who contributed to the project.